Hispanic Excellence: Standouts in Service, Health & Wellness

SUNRISE, Fla. -- In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Florida Panthers will be recognizing South Florida community members making a difference in various different fields through a "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence" content series.
From Hispanic business owners and educators to creators, healthcare workers, media members, activists and more, the "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence" will recognize individuals nominated by their peers, colleagues and families for the positive impact they are making in South Florida and beyond.
Honorees' stories and achievements will be highlighted continuously throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, digitally at FloridaPanthers.com and via Panthers social media platforms @FlaPanthers and @FlaPanthersCARE.
Previously, the Panthers celebrated honorees in the field of
education
and
business & nonprofit
.
In week three of "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence," the Panthers are proud to highlight nine honorees in the field of service, health and wellness.

Monica Cepero

Broward County Administrator
Monica Cepero brings nearly 30 years of state and local government management experience to the role of County Administrator for the 17th largest county in the country. Monica is a Cuban American born in Puerto Rico. Prior to joining Broward County, she served as an advisor to the Florida Governor on local government issues, environmental and agricultural matters and other major statewide reform initiatives. Monica is actively engaged in International City/County Management Association, National Association of County Administrators, The Business of Counties, Florida City County Management Association, Local Government Hispanic Network, and Alpha Chi Omega Sorority.

Janelle Falcon

Behavioral Health Specialist, Baptist Health
Janelle is a bilingual Mental Health Counselor and Marriage and Family therapist, working towards educating the community and busting the mental health stigma as a behavioral health specialist with Community Health at Baptist Health South Florida. Janelle has clinical experience in mental health working with children, adolescents and adults struggling with a variety of concerns in an outpatient setting and higher level of care. Janelle's areas of focus have been in the treatment of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, gender issues, grief, mental wellness and overall wellbeing. She is passionate about working with and advocating for the underserved populations in South Florida. Born and raised in Miami, Florida and being a Cuban American, Janelle prides herself in being able to give back to her community that is lacking in resources. She also prides herself in being able to set an example for young Hispanic women and join the ranks of other amazing Hispanic female therapists in providing representation for her community.

Jacqueline Guzman

Deputy Mayor, City of Sunrise
Jacqueline Guzman was elected to the Sunrise City Commission in November of 2020. Deputy Mayor Guzman made Sunrise election history with close to 20,000 votes and is the first Hispanic (Puerto Rican) female elected in Sunrise. Deputy Mayor Guzman was born in Brooklyn, New York and has been raising her family in the City of Sunrise for almost 15 years. Her three children attend Sunrise public schools and are active in Sunrise sports. Deputy Mayor Guzman has been an active member of her community with the following organizations: American Heart Association Board Member, HandsOn Broward Board Member, ESE School Board Committee Member, Child Advocate with the Guardian ad Litem Program, appointed as the Florida League of Cities Voting Delegate, Broward League of Cities-Alternate Voting Delegate and BLC Youth Leadership Committee Member, served as the PTO President at Westpine Middle School, where she founded Panthers with a Purpose, a volunteer program for students, and was a volunteer coach for the City of Sunrise. She also continues to be a strong supporter of youth and teen programming in the City; and has recently expanded her reach as a program coordinator with a nonprofit organization supporting youth and families in Broward County.

Jessica Joseph

Manager of Philanthropy & Public Relations, Catholic Hospice
As the Manager of Philanthropy and Public Relations, Jessica Joseph helps to spread the work about the programs offered and raises funds to enable the nonprofit to continue to provide their essential palliative care and end-of-life hospice serves. In addition to fundraising/friend-raising events and outreach programs, Jessica works with organizations to support the programs Catholic Hospice provides through corporate philanthropy, tribute, and legacy gifts as well as sponsorships. A fifth generation American of Mexican descent, Jessica has been in the nonprofit sector for over ten years and is passionate about helping others. In May of 2020, in collaboration with other city officials, Jessica coordinated a food drive for over 300 families of Catholic Hospice. She also participated in community drives in the Miami Lakes community for veterans and organized and provided care kits to physicians during National Doctors Month.

Gloria Lewis

Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Miami VA
Gloria Lewis runs the Suicide Prevention Program at the Miami VA. She has been in this role for over 10 years. It has become her personal mission to speak on mental illness, focus on suicide prevention efforts, and implement lethal means safety. This mission goes out beyond the VA and into Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. She educates the public and police officers. Her efforts have improved the overall safety and well-being of many people. Gloria is an ally and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Gloria is passionate and kind. She speaks with confidence when discussing mental illness and suicide. Her presence and demeanor give her the opportunity to reach many individuals.

Eddy Lopez

Boatswain's Mate Second Class, First Lieutenant, United States Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class
Lopez is a Boatswain's Mate in the United States Coast Guard currently serving at Station Fort Lauderdale. As a Law Enforcement Boarding Team Member, Tactical and Pursuit Coxswain, he leads many missions to include Search and Rescue, Pursuit, and Tactical operations. Shoreside, BM2 Lopez is the Station's First Lieutenant. He manages the preventative and corrective maintenance for facilities and the Station's five boats. BM2 Lopez is a professional leader. As the acting First Lieutenant, he is fulfilling a role that is typically designated for a more senior member, and he continues to excel. Personnel development is one of BM2 Lopez's primary focuses. He has trained many junior members and has been indispensable to their successful qualifications. BM2 Lopez is originally from Camaguey, Cuba. He moved to the United States when he was 15 years old and currently resides in Hollywood, Florida with his wife, Madison, and son, Asher.

Reinaldo Marquez

Boatswains Mate 1st Class, United States Coast Guard
Reinaldo Marquez is an integral part of the shipboard team who has been active duty with the Coast Guard for 11 years. He is an underway Officer of the Deck, responsible for the safe navigation of the ship, and he is the primary Spanish translator. Reinaldo is the main interface for law enforcement missions and humanitarian/migrant missions. Reinaldo is an empathetic, hardworking, servant leader. He is devoted to the nation and its citizens and provides the highest level of professionalism to those he interacts with. Reinaldo is also an involved member of the local Cuban diaspora and is truly a representative of Hispanic excellence.

Francis Suarez

Mayor, City of Miami
Francis X. Suarez is the 43rd Mayor of Miami. As the first Miami-born mayor, he is committed to building a Miami that lasts forever and that welcomes everyone. Mayor Suarez has championed the integration of climate adaptive policies, Web 3.0 technology, and a free-market approach to all facets of government as part of his Miami Forever Agenda. Under his leadership, Miami has cut crime and cut taxes to one of their lowest points in over fifty years, spurring a broad-based economic expansion across Miami. Mayor Suarez has also pursued a package of affordable housing reforms-Miami For-Everyone-that leverages federal opportunity zones with the activation of underutilized land to the supply and overall access to affordable housing for working people and communities of color. Most recently, Mayor Suarez has championed the development of Miami's tech economy through Venture Miami along with initiatives that connect education and job training to Miami's new emerging economic sectors such as Fintech, Medtech, and Greentech. As the son of former Miami Mayor, Xavier L. Suarez, Mayor Suarez learned the values of inclusive, servant-leadership to drive economic prosperity, personal opportunity, fairness, equal rights, and reconciliation for all. Mayor Suarez earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Florida International University, graduating in the top ten percent of his class, and then received his law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he graduated cum laude. Mayor Suarez currently serves as President of the US Conference of Mayors. He is married to Gloria Fonts Suarez. They have a son, Andrew Xavier, and a daughter, Gloriana Pilar. They love Miami and consider themselves blessed to raise their family in the Magic City.

Marta Torres

Director of Licensed Care, Citrus Family Care Network
Marta Torres is a licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience as an advocate, supervisor and clinician serving survivors of abuse and neglect within the Child Welfare system. Marta has oversight of the recruitment and licensure of foster homes in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. She has served Miami-Dade and Monroe counties for over twenty years. Marta is a tireless advocate for those involved with the Child Welfare system. There is virtually no one in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, working with at-risk you, who do not know Marta's name. She has fostered critical community relationships to recruit and support foster and adoptive homes in our counties. Marta will work all night long if it means stabilizing a placement for a child or ensuring that a sibling group is able to be placed with a relative. She has developed and implemented services committed to education and empowerment for the marginalized and emotionally wounded in our community. Her ultimate goal is always to help them build adaptive coping skills and positive support systems to become self-sufficient.